


Without you

by Krystal_ball



Category: Daredevil (TV), Jessica Jones (TV), The Defenders (Marvel TV), The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: Angst, Eventual Romance, Hurt/Comfort, Karen needs help, maybe? - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-06
Updated: 2018-02-22
Packaged: 2019-03-14 19:49:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13597113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Krystal_ball/pseuds/Krystal_ball
Summary: Karen is having a really hard time after Matt passed away and then not long after Frank came back into her life he left shortly after. She's not herself but maybe her friends can help her find herself again.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> HI THERE. This is my first time writing anything! I am extremely nervous. Please leave comments on what you think.  
> I have no idea where I am taking this but I hope it's good enough to continue.  
> There will be a lot of spelling mistakes and what not. 
> 
> Please be nice I am very fragile.

Chapter 1

 

The day was hot, hotter then it normally is in the middle of summer in hell's kitchen. She took a long drink of cold water and she still felt like it didn't quench her thirst. Karen put the water bottle down and realized she was starving. She opened up her bag and grabbed out a sandwich. She didn't remember making a sandwich she didn't care anyways she opened it up and started eating. She took the first bite and realized it had no taste. She stared at the sandwich puzzled. Was there something wrong with her? Why couldn't she taste it? This was her favorite she took another bite just to spit it out. She couldn't taste it. That's when she felt a presence near the trees that were about 25 feet away. She looked up over the hill to see a shape starting to appear she felt fearful but she knew what to do. She kept her eyes on the shape and put her tasteless sandwich down and reached into her hand bag and grabbed her gun. Karen didn't pull it out yet she was still waiting to see if she new whoever was walking toward her. She sat and waited. Just then he came into her vision, it was Frank. 

She felt her entire body relax, it was a normal feeling when she was with him. He made her feel safe. She was trying hard to hold back her smile but she let it take over her and he returned the smile to her. She was kind of surprised to see him look happy not that he seems unhappy in her presences she knew he trusted her but she didn't know that trust was worth that kind of smile he was giving her. It made her heart flutter as he got closer and thanked god in her head that Frank couldn't hear the way Matt could. He would know instantly if Frank could hear her heart. He came up and sat down across from her. She noticed that he sat a lot closer then she thought he would.

"Hey Page" He said casually and he gently grabbed her purse from her tight grip as he did that she removed her hand from her gun and let him have the purse. That's when she seen him pull another sandwich out of her bag. She was shocked to see another sandwich in her bag she hadn't felt one two seconds ago when she was death gripping her gun.

Frank was taking the sandwich out of the zip lock bag and began to eat it.  
" S-sorry the sandwiches aren't very good. The bread must have gone stale or-or maybe the Mayo wasn't good anymore" she said with apology as she watched him look at the sandwich and take another bite staring back at her.

" It tastes fine to me ma'am" Frank looked at her a little puzzled.

That's when Karen grabbed her sandwich and took another bite and to her surprise that it was delicious. She was so confused. Why didn't she taste it before? She thought to herself but that's when Frank said something like he was reading her mind.

" Your life is nothing without me we both know that" Frank said threw his teeth angrily.

She was confused. She just stared back at him un-moving. She felt like crying but held it in so she could try and figure out why he was being like this towards her. 

" Uh, wha - excuse me?" She said responding to his last comment. She made sure there was some attitude in it as it came out.

That's when Frank stood up, he was mad. She could see his breathing had picked up and he was really mad. So she stood up with her purse in hand. She was making eye contact with him when she tried to slowly reach in her purse to grab her .38, That's when Frank pointed the gun at her. 

" F-frank" she tried to say calmly with her hands up so he could see them. " what's gotten into you Frank? What's wrong, let me help you" She was pleading with him. She was still unsure what the hell was going on. She realized it was the middle of the day, the hottest day of the year and they were in a park and she thought people would be able to see but she looked around she seen no one at all in the park with them and that's when she looked back at him still holding the gun pointed at her. 

" Goddammit Page, red ain't coming for you. He probably sick of always saving your ass and that's why he went away with Elecktra and got him self killed with her"

She flinched at his words, like they had actually hit her in the face. It hurt in her chest that he just brought Matt up after his death and that he said he was sick of saving her but instead of being hurt she started to get angry. She felt her face getting red the longer they stood there.  
" Why do you think I need saving, Frank? Did I-I ask you to save me? I didn't ask for you to bring me into the shit you are involved" She was so mad that she had brought her hand to her sides and balled her fists up like she wanted to hit him. That's when he laughed. He actually laughed out loud. It shocked her to hear it.  
" Com'on Page you wouldn't even be alive if it weren't for me"  
still pointing the gun toward her and he looked down to see her fists had balled up and then he asked her.

''Do you want to hit me? He said with a bit of a chuckle.  
She was over whatever the hell was going on. Why the fuck is Frank Castle pointing a gun at her complaining about saving her? This wasn't him. What had gotten into him. That's when she noticed that he has put the gun in the back on his belt loop.  
" Karen, Ive come here to finish my job" he finally says putting his hands to his side. " I'm gonna do what I do best - punish - because of all the shit you've done, before you can get anyone else killed - before you get me killed"  
She was trying to process the words coming from his mouth. 

Before she can say anything or even react to his words. He jumps on top of her pushing her to the ground, choking the life out of her. She's trying so hard to push him off by hitting & scratching him but he's so big it didn't even phase him. She's slowly feeling life leaving her body and all she can do is look up at his face. Pupils blown and he's breathing hard not like its a struggle for him but because he likes it. He likes the idea of her dying because she's evil in his eyes. He's doing his job. She's becoming so limp she's just accepting her fate. That's when he does something else that surprises her. He loosens the grip just a little its still killing her just a little bit slower than before, that's when he lowers his head in very close to her ear and almost in a seductive the way. She hates that she kind of likes it even though she knew she can't hold on much longer.

"I want you to know I could have never loved you. You would never be good enough for me. Not me, not red. We are both better off without you same with Kevin" then he squeezed harder she thought her neck was going to snap.

 

She awoke with a jolt grabbing at her throat. She was trying to take air in but she found it to be a struggle. She was so rattled searching the dark room as if to find someone in there with her contributing to her dream she just had but all she found was her dark bedroom, empty.

She decided not to sleep anymore, too afraid she would return to the same dream. She looked at her clock and it said 4:25AM. She got up to go take a shower to wash the sweat off her. She walked into the bathroom and turned the water on hot and looked at herself in the mirror she was a mess. Her normally beautiful strawberry blond hair was in tangles and the color just looked dull and her big blue eyes were accompanied with big dark circles under them. She hasn't slept well in the past 9 months or so even with taking sleeping pills and even her doctors kept upping her doses and giving her more and more things to take but eventully they stopped working a long with everyone else. She hadn't been at the bulletin in months since she went on leave. Ellison still checks in every couple of weeks but the calls just keep having more and more time spaced between them. She didn't really care anymore though she thought. One less person to drag down.

She got in the shower with the water so hot it was burning her skin, she welcomed the burn though. At least she can still feel this. She let the water wash over her. She stopped hoping for better days. It was a waste of time she thought. It had been 8 months since Matt had run off with Electra and 9 months since she last seen Frank in the elevator when he was saving her life from Lewis. She had seen then the news that he saved a couple of weeks after that. Then he had disappeared, she looked for a couple of months after that and that consumed her life, she hadn't noticed but she did notice when Ellison made her go on a sick leave. That was a year ago now. She can't believe its been more then a year since everything changed and she's become so little in what seemed like a short time. She felt pathetic, she has gotten used to the pity parties she's put her self through. She tried to shut her brain down so she could wash herself. She got out of the shower and dried herself off. 

She wrapped herself in a towel and went into her bedroom and opened up a box that was labeled clothes. She only had a couple of days left on her lease and she had not found somewhere to stay yet. Foggy offered but she declined. She didn't want to bring anyone else down with her. She could never do that to foggy.

She grabbed a black T-shirt and dark jeans and pulled them on then went to the kitchen to make herself a coffee, she gets to the coffee pot and quickly remembers she was out of coffee, she sighed and said to herself "if you want some coffee you should buy some when you run out, Page".  
She hears a knock on the door and she opens it to see Foggy's grinning face and she looked down to see him holding two cups of coffee and a bag of what she assumed would be food. He was happy to see her but soon as he got a good look at her face his smile quickly faded into a frown. 

"Hey Foggy, come in." she gestured to the couch for him to sit down.  
"Thanks I brought you some food and coffee" as he passed it to her.  
" Thanks" she said unamused. "Great timing I was about to make a pot" As they both glanced over at the empty kitchen with all the cabinets open and nothing inside of them. He just gaver her a sympathetic smile and nodded.  
"Karen can we talk?" He asked sounding concerned,as he lowered himself to sit on her tiny couch.  
She grabbed the cup of coffee and sat down across from him. She didn't want to do this right now. She couldn't, she felt to fragile.

"Look Foggy I-I really appreciate the coffee and the food but can we not? Not right now" she said crossing her legs, looking uninterested in the conversation that he wanted to have with her.

She could see that Foggy didn't want to push but he wasn't going to take no for an aswer.

"Look Karen, I'm gonna say what I need to say then I'll get out of your hair. Karen you aren't yourself lately not in past year, I know with what happened with Matt and with Castle must have been really tough on you". She was looking down trying to figure out a way to avoid this conversation when he started talking but when he said Castle it made her head shoot up and she just glared at him.

"There is no way for me to know what you are going through. I loved Matt too and I know you had something that I'll never understand with Frank." that's when she stood up fists balled at her sides like she wanted to hit him.

" Look Foggy thank you again but you need to leave. Now." she spat through her teeth.

Foggy stood up and looked disappointed, he just looked so defeated. She was upset about what he was saying about Frank and her but she still loved Foggy. She hated that she was the one upsetting him so much when he was trying to help her. She knew that he meant well but Frank was a topic that she didn't want to discus with him or anyone for that matter. She tries not to think about Frank to much and for him to bring it up so casually hit to close to home for her.

"Karen have you looked at yourself? I mean you look awful."  
"Thanks" She spat back.

He wasn't going to stop just because she didn't like what he felt it had to be said.  
"You look so thin and sick. You aren't eating, Do you leave your apartment? You are so pale. Let me help you get the help you need. I will pay for everything." She felt it again. Pity.  
She hated when people gave her pity.

"Foggy p-please leave and don't come back, ever. I-I can take care of myself. I'm not your problem or your responsibility. I don't need anymore hero's getting killed or hurt over me" She said as she opened the door for him to leave and just stood there as he stared at her for a bit and decided something in his head that helped him make the decision to leave.  
"your lease is up in two days, where are you going to go? How will I contact you?" he asked hopeful. It hurt her heart how sad he sounded but she knew if she stayed in his life any longer she would bring him down with her. She was a sinking ship that had brought so many others down with her, her brother, Matt and Frank. She couldn't do it to foggy as well.

" That's the point Foggy, y-you don't. Has it occurred to you that I-I don't want you in my life? Take the hint Fog so we can both move on" She ran her fingers through her hair she said it as cold and detached as she could. Her eyes were betraying her and started to water when she seen the impact that her words had on him.

Foggy looked shocked and hurt "Goodbye Karen, take care of yourself" As he pulled her into a hug and she knew she couldn't return the hug or she would crumble in front of him and he would catch on to her so she just stood there and tried her best to stay cold and distant. He broke the hug and she watched him walk away then she closed the door and contemplated on going after him but she knew she didn't want to take him down with her so she decided to go back to bed and cried into her pillow.


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Foggy feels awful with how things went with Karen so he goes to try and find help for her.

Foggy POV

Foggy felt awful after he left Karen's apartment, he knew she was trying to push him away. All he wanted to do was help her but he understood she was sick of always coming off as the damsel that needed a people to help her. Karen Page wasn't some damsel that needed anyone but she didn't understand that other people needed her and that Foggy was one of them.

He was getting into a cab to head to work. He told the cabbie where to go but he was so lost in this thoughts on the way there. 

He had hoped he could have done something for Karen, he would do anything for her but she wouldn't let him. He got it he really did but that didn't mean he could just keep letting her fall down this path. She was so much better than this. Karen would do anything for the people she loved. Foggy loved Karen, he always did, he once thought it could have been a romantic love but turned into a sisterly kind of love and once he figured it out he just thought they would always look out for each other. When Foggy felt he was in the dark Karen was always there to show her light and help him out of it, to listen to him when he needed it or to give her advice, sometimes it was just her smile that helped him. He thought that's what he did for her too but since the Castle case ended and he started working for Hogarth for certain people with abilities he has been too busy. Then with Matt passing away instead of leaning on each other they just drifted, it just seemed like one thing after another. They were both to blame if there had to blame but he just couldn't pinpoint when Karen had gotten so far gone. He felt awful, he let her down. She didn't even know about Marci or most of anything in his life and he knew nothing that had gone on in hers since they had their last visit at Josies months ago. Even when he saw she was in the news because some jerk had taken her hostage and tried to blow her and the hotel up, of course, Frank Castle was involved. Foggy was so caught up in a case that week he had no idea it had even happened until a week later. He had tried to call several times but got no response and then when he had tried to go to her apartment no one was there on 3 different occasions, he had gone to her work but she was always out of the office.

Foggy has realized he was sitting in front of Hogarth and she had asked him something but he didn't hear it. He was so caught up in what had happened with Karen. When did he get out of the cab? He didn't even remember coming into Hogarth's office.

"Did you get the files to him?" She asked again. Looking a little puzzled. Hogarth knew Foggy was a great lawyer. He loved doing it and it wasn't normal for him to be this distracted.

" Yeah, I did that yesterday". Foggy felt awful, he knew she saw he was going through something. Foggy always put himself into his work and gave it everything he had. So today when he couldn't concentrate on anything Hogarth knew it must have been bad.

"Why don't you take the day off Franklin? You haven't taken a day off in months you deserve it. We all need a little vacation here and there" She tried to say caringly but it didn't sound right coming from her, she was always business professional with him but he appreciated it anyway.

That's when Foggy had a thought. Frank Castle, he could help Karen. Well if he was alive.  
Not long after the bombing scare at the Hotel, it seemed that Frank had just vanished into thin air and he knew that if Frank had been killed or put into custody it would have been published. There would have been some word that it had happened but nothing in the past month or so.

"Uh, yeah thanks, I think I need it, could I ask one more favor if it wouldn't be too much of a hassle?" He asked hopefully with a smile. 

Hogarth nodded. She would probably do anything within her means to keep Foggy on her team. Foggy knew that too but he still always asked.

"If you were looking for someone who didn't want to be found how would you find them?" He asked her trying to keep it light like he wasn't looking for a killer.

"Well, it depends on the situation and the person who I would be looking for Franklin. Is this person dangerous? Why don't they want to be found? Is this for a case you are working on?" She looked a little too curious because it wasn't like Foggy to be looking for trouble. They also had a lot of people on their team so that the higher-ups didn't need to do the dirty work and get their hands dirty.

He sighed. He was starting to get nervous. What if she didn't like that he was going to use their resources on something that wasn't their work? At this point, he didn't care. He had to try and do this for Karen and if Frank was really dead he would just have to go to her every single day until he could help her. He had to at least try.

"He's extremely dangerous. He doesn't want to be found and there hasn't been any word of him in a couple of months. I don't have a lot of information but I need to do it for a really good friend of mine. It's possibly illegal." he said looking down, already fearing the consequences of what Hogarth would say.

"Well, in that case, I have someone that might be able to help" He snapped his head up to see her face. She didn't even seem bothered. "She's gonna cost you though but I trust her and she always comes through" He nodded looking excited because he didn't expect an answer.

"She's a P.I, her name is Jessica Jones. I'm sure you've heard of her. She will help as long as you've got the cash and with how much I pay you I'm sure you do." She smiled.

Foggy had met Jessica once right before Matt had died. He also met her friend Trish. He didn't really care for Jessica. She didn't seem like the nicest person or dependable but her friend was very nice, he noticed Trish and Karen had gotten along very well.  
Hogarth grabbed a piece of paper and started to write information down on it and handed it to Foggy. It was her address and phone number.

Foggy took it, still in shock that she was helping him. He just stared at it trying to figure out if this was really happening. Hogarth could see that in his expression.

"We are here to help each other Mr.Nelson, I trust you would do the same for me," she told him not meeting his eyes, returning to her work. 

Foggy stood up and walked to the door. Turning around before he was about to leave the door.

"Thank you, you don't know what this means to me" He smiled back at her still holding the paper in his hands.

Foggy went to his office and grabbed what he knew he would need for the night and headed home. Getting one of the firms drivers to take him. On the way, he called Jessica.

Jessica answered on the fourth ring.  
"What" sounding annoyed.  
"Hello, I'm Franklin Nelson, I work with Jeri Hogarth." He knew he sounded too formal but it just came out nowadays from habit.  
"and?" she clearly didn't care.  
"Well, we also met on the date that Matt Murdock died". He paused for a moment to let it sink in. She didn't respond so he continued on.  
"Hogarth gave me your number because I'm looking for someone that doesn't want to be found or might be dead for all I know. Money is no issue. Do you think we could meet to talk in person?"  
She let out an annoyed breath "Yeah, sure. Come to my office now."  
"right now? I guess I can."  
"K I'll text you the address now" That was it, she hung up the phone.

He got the text right away and told the driver where to go.

On the way there he couldn't help but start to get nervous, this was Jessica Jones. Superhuman strength with a potty mouth and a short temper. He hoped she wasn't expecting him to have any information because he just had his name and some of the cases files from the Castel VS the people case, Karen took most of them and he didn't even have them on him. They sat at home in his closet. He was going to meet her with nothing, he felt so unprepared. 

He finally got there and told the driver to wait outside, he didn't think it would take to long seeing as he really had nothing to give her.

He went into the building, it was a little run down but he had been in worse places for Matt. Not that he wasn't scared, it was just that it could have been scarier. He chuckles at himself thinking that.

He went to knock on the door but it was already open.

"Hello?' He called walking in very slowly.  
" Come in, sit" she was already at her desk, laptop on her lap with her feet on her desk with mostly empty liquor bottles all around her.  
"I've just been reading about you Nelson, coming from nothing, going to Columbia and starting your own firm then ending up working for Hogarth. That all happened pretty fast, wouldn't you say? Do you think it had something to do with being friends with the Devil from hell's kitchen." She made it sound like a question but Foggy knew it wasn't

Foggy did his best to keep his composure. "Please call me Foggy, yeah I was friends with him but it had nothing to do with me working WITH Hogarth." He sat down across from her.

"So what can I do for you Foggy?" she raised her eyebrow when she said his name.

"I'm looking for someone, well it's not really me whos wanting to find him, it's a friend of mine."

"who are you looking for?" she wasn't wasting any time. She didn't beat around the bush.

" Frank Castle" was all he said keeping her eye contact.

She just stared back at him. "Wow, Nelson. I thought I had you pegged then you say that." she took a swig from a bottle close by. "You want me to find the Punisher but not for you, but for your friend. Could this friend of yours be a hot tall blonde?"

He knew that she knew Karen but didn't think she would have guessed so soon. He wasn't mad, but more impressed. She was clearly good at her job.

He looked at the floor feeling a little ashamed about coming here and Karen not knowing what he was doing. "Yes, it's for Karen Page. She needs help and I think Frank could help her".

Something changed in Jessica she seemed to be getting mad? Foggy didn't really understand what had changed when he said it was for Karen.

" Well Foggy, I happen to know Karen and I don't think she's just fine. Blondie is a big girl and can take care of herself. Does she even know that you are here?" She already knew the answer.

"No, she doesn't. Are you and Karen close? How well do you know her?" He was annoyed, were Karen and Jessica friends? Did Jessica know Karen more than he did? Maybe Karen was just pushing him out of her life and she was done. He didn't really know what to think. If Jessica actually knew Karen or seen her lately for that matter she would have said or done something if she was her friend.

" I haven't seen her in about a month but we use to go for drinks with another friend of ours." She stated.

Foggy had to get her to understand that this is not Karen Page. That she was better than the person that she is right now.

"Well I saw Karen today and in two days she will be living on the street, she looks like she hasn't slept in months. She doesn't look like Karen Page." He sounded like he was pleading. Almost begging Jessica to help him.

Jessica didn't know what to say. She felt bad about not seeing Karen but Karen had blown off their regular Wednesday night drinks for about 5 weeks. Jessica just thought she was busy with work or something. Jessica wasn't too pushy but now she thinks maybe she should have been.

"Please Jessica, I need your help. I don't know what else to do. Karen has pushed me away and it seems like she pushed you away too. She's not herself. I think Frank will pull her out of it, they have a connection that I've never been able to understand." He was begging now.

After a long pause, she spoke "Fine, but I'll do, but in MY way. Karen can't know it's you that hired me if she does it will just push her further away."

Foggy gave her a confused look. "Why does Karen have to know at all?".

"Well unless you have any information on the punisher I should go to the last person that's seen him and we both know that's Karen".  
"What if he's dead?" He said sounding sad. It's crazy to him to think that Frank Castle dead would be an upsetting thought to him.

"If he's dead we use it to help her grieve and help her get through it". Jessica told him.

"Okay, I guess, so what's the plan then?" Foggy hated that he would have to lie to Karen but he didn't really think he would have to lie to her if he didn't see her.

Jessica took another swig and started to tell Foggy the plan. " I'm gonna go to her and say that someone high up hired to find him and that he's in trouble. Hell, she might know that he's already dead or not" she took another mouthful of the alcohol she was drinking. Foggy didn't understand how she wasn't already falling on the ground. Jessica was so small but she sure could hold her liquor. "I'll make up some story that he's gonna die if I don't find him, blah blah blah and I'll ask her if she knows anyone that might know where he is in case they are in danger and that I can help them." She sounded very confident in her plan.

"Okay sounds good and if you find him you'll tell me and I'll go get him to help Karen?" Foggy said. He knew he didn't sound confident in his part of this plan that he just added himself to.

Jessica laughed out loud. She actually laughed, it was the first time Foggy seen her show any emotion let alone smile. 

"Yeah, then what? He just shoots you in the face? I bet he would just laugh and walk away" she chuckled again. Taking another drink.

"Yeah well what are you gonna do?" he tried to give the attitude back to her but it didn't even come out right.

" I'll beat the shit out of him until he listens to me." She said in a serious tone.  
" well, you got me beat there. Alright, you talk to Frank and see if he will help." He was much more confident in her plan than his own.  
Jessica nods, "Don't call me, I'll call you" she said while looking back to her laptop and taking another drink.

"Thanks" Foggy took that as his cue to leave. He got up and walked out not turning around.

 

Jessica POV

 

Once she knew Foggy was long gone, she decided to call Karen. It went right to voice mail "shit" she said out loud to herself.

Jessica knew Foggy was just trying to help his friend but Jessica didn't know him and had to find out for herself that Karen wasn't alright. She really liked Karen. She probably didn't show it as much as she could have but that wasn't Jessica. Karen always had quick comebacks when Jessica had said something rude or if she had spoken before she could think, Jessica loved that about it. Karen never took Jessica shit. Trish always tried to hush Jessica or just ignored it because Trish used to Jessica's attitude. The three of them always had a good time together, full of laughs and good stories and lots of booze. 

She figured she should just go to Karen's apartment and see for herself. It was pretty dark by the time she left her place. She decided to text Trish and see if she knew anything about Karen's apparent state, Jessica didn't want to call. Trish would hear the worry in her voice and once she knew there was something wrong with Karen she would insist on going with her but Jessica thought she should go alone so she could do things her way.

8:09 Jessica: Hey T - Have you heard from Karen lately?  
She was walking to the subway station it was in the middle of summer so it was nice out, not that she had a car anyways. It didn't take Trish long to respond.

8:11 Trish: Hey Jess, No I haven't I tried to stop by her office two weeks ago but they said she was on leave when I tried to call her she didn't pick up. Everything ok?

8:14 Jessica: Yeah everything is fine. I just needed to get a hold of her about a story. I gotta go. Talk later.

Jessica finally got to Karen's building. The front door was locked and she didn't want to buzz Karen and give her warning that she was coming.

She decided to buzz the floor under Karen.

"What?" an annoyed male voice said.  
She used her girly air head voice that normally worked with men. " Hey its C 12, you wouldn't believe it but I left my keys in my door upstairs, I'm just soooo out of it today! Could you buzz-"  
He was already buzzing her in. Her air head voice always worked.

As she got to Karen's door there was a moving sale sign on it. Saying EVERYTHING MUST GO all in bold handwritten writing. 

She took a deep breath thinking if Karen is fine she is gonna kick that lawyers ass.

She knocked twice and heard nothing inside. That's when she kept knocking as hard as she could without actually breaking the door down.

She started to hear someone muttering and moving around, "COMING!" she heard Karen yell.

When Karen finally opened the door she saw exactly what Nelson was telling her about. Karen looked like shit. Her hair was knotted and it looked like it hadn't been washed in over a week. She had dark circles under her eyes and she was just wearing an oversized T-shirt to answer the door. It wasn't even locked.

Karen just looked at Jessica unfazed and Karen's eyelids were half opened. She didn't care at all that Jessica was there.

"What do you want Jessica?" Karen said a little slurred. That's when she smelt Karen's breath. Jessica stood a couple of feet from Karen and she could smell it, it was so strong. Karen was drunk.

"Well, hello to you too. I just wanted to check on you- I haven't heard from you in a while". Jessica said looking Karen up and down well she was trying to tell if she was just having a bad week or if Nelson was right.

"well I'm busy" she was still slurring her words and she was trying to close the door on her but Jessica just put her foot in the doorway.

"Okay let me see what you've been up to then" pushing past Karen easily.

Karen stumbled back not hard but enough to knock her over a little.

"Hey, g-get out." she tried to grab her arm and Jessica just shook it off with Karen falling back into the closed door and sliding on to the ground. Jessica closed the door behind her.

Jessica took a look around. Karen's mattress was on the floor and it had a more than half empty bottle of cheap vodka next to it. Most of Karen's things were gone. Nelson was right. This wasn't Karen.

"Where's all your stuff?" Jessica asked coming back from Karen's bedroom. Karen hadn't moved from where she had fallen over starting to fall back asleep.

Jessica threw her over her shoulder Karen protected up very weekly. Jessica put her down on the bed a little too hard but Karen seemed fine. 

"What the hell is going on with you blondie?" She asked squatting next to her. Picking up the vodka bottle taking a drink.

Karen just looked up and her with disgust. "What do you mean what's going on with me?I'm drinking my problems away. I learned it from my friend!" She was trying to yell but she didn't have enough energy to pull off the bitchiness.

"Yeah but I can hold my alcohol. You clearly can't" She spat back, sitting the vodka bottle down where she found it.

Karen had rolled over onto her stomach and pushed herself up on her elbows and tried to look at Jessica. Karen was swaying but trying "Yeah well Ms.Jones if you don't leave I'm gonna call the cops and say you broke in if you don't get the fuck out of my apartment."

Jessica didn't know what to do, should she leave her here alone and go? Jessica didn't want to leave her she wanted to pick her up and take her to her place or Trish's but she knew Karen would protest and if she does that Karen wouldn't give any of the information she knew she had. Jessica thought she should just go with the plan she told Nelson, she would say she was looking for Frank and she would come back when Karen was soberer or maybe Trish could come and help her, either way, she had to find out about Frank.

"Well Karen I didn't come here for you, I'm looking for Frank. He's in trouble." She said sounding serious trying to meet Karen's eyes.

Karen laughed a little to herself.  
"well good luck finding him, he's probably dead. I haven't seen him in over 3 months." She grabbed the vodka bottle and took a mouthful and lied back on the bed.

Jessica took the bottle after her and took a drink herself. Jessica felt she had no place to tell Karen to stop drinking. If someone told her to stop, she would tell them to fuck off so she wasn't going to judge Karen for that.

"Know anyone that might know where he is?" Jessica knew she had to keep trying. Jessica passed Karen the bottle again maybe she would think that Jessica was just trying to find Frank and not try to fix her. Well not yet.

Karen sighed and took another mouthful and put the bottle down.  
"Frank had me look for a guy-uh-" She was trying to remember. "David! David Lieberman! that's his name. I tried to find him but I stopped looking." Karen squeezed her eyes shut as if she were trying to forget something.

Jessica wanted to ask her why she stopped looking but if she started asking questions about Frank and her she thought Karen would catch on what she was doing, even if she was drunk Karen was not stupid. 

"Anyone else you can think of?" She tried not to notice Karen's eyes turning glossy. Looking away to the empty apartment. 

Karen wiped her nose on her hand. Jessica looked back when Karen started to talk.

"Um, maybe some guys that he served with? He once said a guys name uhhh - Curtis. No last name just Curtis." Karen used a mocking gruff tone. "Just Curtis - hold on with two hands- Karen I'm no good for you" and laughed to herself closing her eyes. Jessica assumed she was trying to talk like Castle. 

"Alrighty blondie, that's it?" Jessica asked.

"Yep that's it, you can go now. See yourself out." Karen said turning passing out.

Jessica grabbed the vodka bottle and took it to the kitchen and dumped on down the drain. Jessica looked for a glass to fill with water but found nothing so she rinsed out the vodka bottle a couple of times and filled it with water and left it next to Karen's bed.  
She locked the door and went out Karen's window closing it behind her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I hope you guys liked this chapter. I rewrote it 3 times, with this being the first time writing I tried my best to get Foggy and Jessica's voice right. I felt like it was a little easier with Jessica. I was going to end the chapter after Foggy's POV but I felt like it wasn't long enough so I included Jessica's just so we could finish that day. Let me know what you guys think! I'm REALLY excited to start the next chapter!


	3. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI! so sorry it took this long to update. I had a really hard time with writing Jessica, I didn't think I was going to write her so much but once I started I couldn't stop. So I hope you guys like it. Let me know what you think! Also, I tried to re-read it myself for any corrections but I have a really hard time reading my own stuff normally my husband proofreads for me but he's been SUPER busy. Enjoy!

Jessica woke up a little hazy, still sitting in front of her laptop. She must have passed out doing her research she thought. A picture of Frank Castle's face on her laptop. Jessica pushed herself away from her laptop and notes.

She went to the bathroom to have a quick shower she got dressed and went to her small kitchen and drank water. She was trying to decide her next move but she couldn't get Karen out of her mind. How broken she looked last night drunk slurring her words. Her empty apartment. The mumbles she had about Frank. Jessica felt so guilty, why didn't she try harder to be there for Karen. Karen just always seemed so strong but Jessica understood you can only be strong for so long. She had wondered if this is how Trish felt when everything with Kilgrave happened. When you know there is nothing you can really do but you can't stop trying to help. Trish did that for her and now Jessica was going to do it for Karen. 

Jessica started looking over her notes has had written the night before. She found a David Lieberman but he was dead, He passed away about two years ago but she found his wife, Sarah, Jessica knew where she worked and where his two kids went to school. She also found A Curtis Hoyle, He was alive and sold insurance and ran a talk group for retired and injured vets. She didn't know what one to pursue first. She decided she would go watch Sarah Liberman in the suburbs and then she would check Curtis out on her way back to her place.  
Jessica had asked Trish to borrow her car for a job and Trish had someone drop it off at Jessica's place. Jessica started the 45-minute drive to the Libermans house. It was a little later in the afternoon, Jessica parked on the street a couple of cars down from their house. She could see the house but anyone in the house wouldn't be able to see the car. She saw a van pull up into the driveway and two kids get out and were running into the house. Then she saw David who was supposed to be dead and started to snap a couple of pictures. David was looking around as if he were a little sketched out as if he knew something wasn't right. He looked around went inside. Jessica waited a couple more hours then David and Sarah were getting into the minivan, they were both all smiles. Holding hands before parting ways and Sarah got in and backed the van out and drove down the street. 

Jessica knew the kids were still in the house so it's not like she could go look around so she decided to follow, not close enough to get caught. They drove to the closest Starbucks and got out and went inside. Jessica decided to follow so she could get a better look. Why the hell would Frank be looking for this man? Jessica didn't understand what this beanpole of a man could do for The Punisher. Sure he must have some computer smarts if he was working analyst for the NSA but she still didn't understand. He was a family man and he is legally dead. She had a lot of questions.

She watched them order coffee and sit down holding hands.They couldn't seem to keep their hands off each other it made Jessica sick. She tought it was odd for them to be holding hands that often, they were so lovely with each other a lot more than normal couples who have been married as long as they have been. Something was off. She also noticed David checked his phone quite often. It sat out on the table. She needed to get that phone. Jessica went in and ordered a coffee and went to sit down a couple of people away and made it look like she was reading something on her phone. She saw David get up to excuse himself to the bathroom, he bent down and kissed his wife before he left. This was Jessica's chance to get that phone. She stood up to throw the coffee away and made it look like she tripped on the chair with a loud "OUCH" beside Sarah knocking Sarah on to the table and Jessica stumbled standing between the two tables and Sarah was trying to help her stand. 

"I'm so so so sorry! I didn't mean to knock your coffee over!" she apologized.   
"No, don't worry about it! Are you okay ma'am? Do you need anything?" Jessica could already tell Sarah was a good person, she could see it in the worry on her face for a person she didn't know. Jessica had already stuffed the phone into her pocket, she had to hurry before David got back to see it was missing.

"No, I'm fine I'm running late for work!" as she ran outside waving behind her. She saw David start to come out of the bathroom.

Jessica got into her car and drove around the block before she opened the phone. Everything was password protected except the contacts. Another odd thing about David Leiberman has he had a handful of contacts, 7 to be exact. Very odd. She wrote then names down quickly. It was pretty easy considering they only had first names no last names.

Curtis, Karen, Leo, Madani, Pete, Sarah and Zac.

Jessica was very confused on why David would have Karen's number. Karen made it sound like she hadn't met David yet. Also, there was a Curtis on the list so she assumed that it would be the same Curtis Hoyle that she was looking for. She finished the names and the numbers. She opened up the back of the phone to pull out the sim card and the battery. She was going to throw the phone out but decided to keep it maybe Trish knew someone that could hack it and help find Frank. Jessica called Trish and told her she was coming over. Trish said she would make Coffee.

On the way back she decided to call Karen, it went right to voicemail. "Dammit," Jessica said out loud to herself. She was just going to go there and see if she was okay but Jessica didn't like keeping Trish in the dark about Karen. This was probably how this whole situation happened because everyone was in the dark about what Karen was going through. They were all still in the dark about what was going on in Karen's head. 

Jessica thinks she should tell Trish about Karen and maybe if they go there together Trish might be able to help her until she finds Frank. Jessica didn't like the thought of just relying on Frank to fix Karen. Jessica doesn't know Frank, what if Frank doesn't want to come to see Karen. Hell what if she brought Frank to Karen and Karen doesn't even care? So many things were uncertain. Jessica hated it. She just wanted to help Karen fix herself but she was going to do what Nelson was paying her for. 

She got to Trish's apartment and knocked on the door feeling inside her jacket pocket to make sure she still had the phone with her. Trish opened the door with a smile but it soon faded when she saw Jessica's face.

"What's wrong?" Trish asked moving aside to let Jessica in. They walked in and Jessica sat on the stool in her kitchen. She knew Trish was going to be upset about her not telling her soon as she found out that Karen was in trouble.

"I have to tell you something and I know I should have told you sooner but I was busy and I had a lot of stuff to do." Jessica hung her head in disappointment. 

"Okay just sit it out already! I can't take the dramatic's". Trish said jokingly.

"It's Karen. Her lawyer friend came to me saying that I had to find the "punisher" for Karen." Jessica did the hand quotations when she said Punisher. Trish just stared at her waiting for more information. "Nelson said that Karen wasn't okay and that if I found him he would help her, I didn't believe him when he said that. I figured Karen would have called if she was in any kind of trouble so I had to go see for myself. Karens apartment was empty and she looked like shit. She was super drunk and not like happy hour drunk, she was trying to forget something and she just didn't care. Nelson told me she's getting kicked out of her apartment." Jessica was out of breath. Trish just stood there mouth hung open, she closed it and she was about to say something but closed it again.

"When I went to see her last she didn't want to see me. Trish, I don't know what to do. I want her to be okay. I can't judge her for drinking her problems away, I do it too but the way she looked. She just didn't care. She didn't care about living. How could I have let her get this to think? I can't fix her." Jessica was babbling. She was trying to keep it together and Trish was just shocked to see Jessica feel this way.

Trish walked around the counter to Jessica and put a hand on her shoulder. 

"Why don't we go see her? Maybe she will listen to me?" Trish said caringly to Jessica.

Jessica was shocked at how Trish was reacting, she half expected her to get bad at her for keeping it from her and half expected her to cry. Jessica looked up at Trish, she didn't deserve to have her as a friend but she was grateful none the less.

"Okay," Jessica said meeting Trish's eyes. "thank you Trish" Jessica touched Trish's hand. Trish just smiled and went and got her coat and they started to head out.

They didn't talk much on the way to Karen's place, Jessica was grateful and she knew Trish understood that it took a lot for Jessica to vulnerable and she would need some space. They eventually parked the car and went up to Karen's apartment. They knocked and had no answer. The girls looked at each other and Jessica broke the doorknob and pushed the door open. The apartment was completely empty, there was nothing, not Karen's bed or empty bottle. She empty.

"Where could she be?" Trish tuned asking Jessica. 

"I have no idea, maybe we can try asking the neighbors". They walked out and knocked on the door on the right side and found a mother with crying kids, the mother was very annoyed that they were there knocking on the door at 9 PM. She told them to fuck off and slammed the door in their face.

"I guess the next door?" Trish asked Jessica hopeful.

"Yeah let's hope this one isn't a bitch," Jessica said clearly annoyed. 

Trish smiled and they walked to the door on the left and found a little old grey haired women.

Trish smiled "Hello, sorry to bother you so late but we are looking for our friend Karen. She lived next door. Do you have any idea where she might have moved?".

"Ahhh, Karen! What a lovely young girl, so much potential! I feel for her with everything that has happened in the past months. She was always so happy, once her and that make broke up she just hasn't been herself." The older woman said clearly desperate for conversation.

"Yeah, when her and Murdock," Jessica said to Trish.

"No, no, not the blind one, the army guy!" She smiled as if she were thinking about a memory.

"Such a nice boy that one! Always fixing things for Karen and me too! She was so upset when he left." The woman was also clearly upset about their break up. 

"Yeah he's the best," Jessica said sarcastically " Do you know where Karen is? Did she leave a forwarding address?" Jessica didn't have time for this. She had to find Karen.

"No she came here and gave me a hug goodbye, she is such a sweet girl. I'm really going to miss her." Jessica just rolled her eyes and thought about walking away.

"Did she have her stuff with her?" Trish asked the old woman.

"She had a few things but she said she only wanted to keep what would fit into that old car of hers!" The woman shook her head disagreeing with Karen's choices.

Jessica perked up when she said old car. "Do you know what kind of car she has? What color was it? anything?" Jessica asked to abruptly.

"Uh, I - I think it's a station wagon. I think it was brown." The woman said a little put off by Jessica's tone. 

"When did she move out? How long ago" Trish was the one asking the questions now.

"Today, the poor girl. I begged the landlord to give her a couple more days but he didn't care and he evicted her anyways". Jessica and Trish both looked at each other.

"It was so wonderful talking to you ladies, I hope you have a good night. Come by anytime" The elderly woman smiled at Trish. 

"Thank you so much" Trish smiled back and the woman closed the door.

Jessica and Trish walked down the stairs, "Where do you think she went?" Trish asked Jessica.

"It's hard to say, at least we have a car to look for if we didn't have that we would have nothing," Jessica said shrugging.  
They were still walking down the stairs. Almost at the door when Trish turned to Jessica

"Shit, What do we do then? I mean what if she left new york? What if that her neighbor was lying for her? Karen is smart, if she wanted to disappear she would know how to do it." Trish was clearly upset.

They walked through the doors to outside, Jessica took a deep breath in trying to figure out her next move.

They started to walk down the street where Trish had parked her car, that's when Jessica saw the station wagon. It was parked about a block away. 

"Trish let's go check that car out." Jessica pointed it out. 

"Do you really think she would stay that close?" Trish had a good point but Karen wasn't her thoughtful self.

Jessica didn't say anything, she just walked over to the car. No one was sitting in the front seat. Jessica saw a drunk Karen in the back seat. She had thrown up in the back of her car with a bottle of cheap vodka still in hand.

Jessica tried the doors and they were locked, they also tried to knock on the windows. Karen didn't even move at the commotion she was either passed out hard or dead. 

"Holy shit, we have to get her out of here." Trish was panicked.

Jessica looked around and there wasn't anyone nearby so she pulled the door open with ease, she unlocked the front door for Trish.

"Grab whatever you can that's worth value. This car will be empty by tomorrow morning with the door off of it. She's fine just super drunk. She's covered in puke." Jessica said well she was checking Karen out.

Trish grabbed what she could. Jessica pulled Karen out of the back seat and threw her over her shoulder. They walked back to Trish's car and put Karen in the back seat.

Trish pulled out her phone and called someone.

"Hi this is Trish Walker, I need someone to pick a car up. The keys are still in it so I'll need someone as soon as you can. Yes, thank you." Trish hung up the phone and texted the address and make and model of the car.

Trish and Jessica sat in silence until they got to Trish's apartment. Jessica put Karen down on the couch. 

"Go find Castle and I'll deal with her." Trish was clearly upset. 

"Kay, try your best to keep her here, even if it means giving her more booze. Should I help put her in the shower?" Jessica asked.

"No Jess, I got it. Just go." Trish was starting to hoist Karen up.

Jessica just nodded and left. She decided to go home and clean off the puke that Karen had gotten on her, after that she was going to see Curtis.

Jessica finally got home and started to take her clothes off to shower. The water felt so good it was burning hot. She got out and wrapped herself in a towel and went to her bedroom to get dressed.

She had to get Curtis's address off her laptop. She had his work address but not his home address. Jessica was pretty tired, she was emotionally and physically exhausted but she didn't want to rest for a second, she knew if she did she would be consumed by her thoughts.

She was walking into her front room when she saw someone sitting at her laptop, she quickly turned the lights on to see Frank sitting at her desk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHH! I'm so excited for the next chapter, I already started writing it. There will be A LOT more Frank. I hope I can get it out in the next week or two.


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter starts at the coffee shop with David.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, nevermind I finished this today. It was a lot easier to write today than it has been in the past couple of weeks.

David came over to Sarah that was still watching the door and the woman ran out

"what happened?" David asked Sarah she still looked confused about what happened.

"that woman, she tripped and knocked over my coffee, that's all. She just rushed out of here. She's probably just embarrassed that's all." Sarah shrugged it off with a smile.

"Okay we should get going, I still have to make dinner." Sarah grabbed her phone off the table. 

David looked at the table than on the ground. He started to check his pockets.

"Do you have my phone?" He asked Sarah.

"Uh, no?" She looked confused.

David rushed into the bathroom looking for it. He came back to Sarah.

"We have to go right now. I think that woman stole my phone." 

They got home and David went right into the basement, David got right to work. First, he hacked into the coffee shops security to see her. He put her face into his facial recognition software that he came up with to find Frank. It was pretty easy to find out who it was. It wasn't like she was hiding. It was Jessica Jones. He couldn't believe it. Why would Jessica Jones want anything to do with him. He could help the paranoia he had gain in the past year or so. He worried about his family and the people that were closest to him. He knew that she couldn't get into his phone he had everything encrypted, except the contacts. He didn't think he would need to lock them off to, it was a pain in the ass to continually unlock it just to make a phone call but now he was mad at himself. He shouldn't be so lazy. He was tracking her on his monitor. Should he go himself? Everything that he had read about her said that he shouldn't go but he also didn't want to drag Frank into it. He said he wanted to just be left alone so he couldn't wreck anyone else's lives but David didn't know who else he could call.

He dialed Franks new number, the contact said Pete. It rang three times and went to voicemail.

"Hey Frank it's Micro, I need your help man. Jessica Jones stole my phone. I'm freaking out. I don't know what to do. I need your help. Just come to my house." David knew he sounded panicked but he didn't know how else to act. He was scared that he might have done something else to put his family in danger and he couldn't stand the thought of being away from them again.

Around 7 O'clock Frank knocked on the door. Sarah answered.  
"Hey, there stranger!" Said happily pulling Frank into a hug. "Please come in! DAVID PETE'S HERE" she yelled down the stairs. "How have you been? You look good" Sarah was happy to see Frank. 

"M'fine ma'ma, yourself?" Frank wasn't trying to be polite, still standing in the doorway.

"I'm good! Leo and Zac are doing their homework but once they are done I know they would love to see you before you go and disappear for a couple of months." Sarah just sounded like a mom. It made Frank smile a little. 

David came up the stairs " Come with me" is all he said and went back down the stairs. Frank followed without another word to Sarah.

"Hey buddy, I know you said not to call but this is scaring the shit out of me. Some girl with superpowers steals my phone and she took the sim card out and battery out but I still have a tracker." David sitting in front of his monitors. They should a lot of different things. One has Jessica Jone's information, he had been reading up on her and one was watching all the way around his home. The other one was tracking where his phone was. "She went to some apartment building with high tech in it. It completely blocked my tacker but she left and went right to Karen's. Now it looks like they went back there not long after Karen's." David was breathless trying to fill Frank in. Soon and David said Karen's name his jaw tightened. Why couldn't Karen stay out of trouble? was all Frank could think.

Frank let out a breath. "What do you want me to do?" Looking at David angerly. "You want me to go get your phone for you?" Frank was annoyed. 

 

" Yes I want you to go get my phone for me Frank, your number is in there so is Curtis's and Karen's and my families numbers. For all, we know they saw Karen's number and that's why they went there!" David said still panicked.

"Why the fuck do you have Karen's number? " Frank was mad now. David went to say something but no words came out. "Why don't you have it locked? How could you be so stupid?" Frank spat the last words at him like venom.

"I didn't think I needed it to be protected," David said quietly. "I had Karen's number in case I needed anything or I thought she needed anything." He looked down, ashamed.

Just then they saw that Jessica was moving. Well fuck, where does she live?" Frank asked still very angry.

"Karen? or Jessica?" David asked.

Franks jaw was tight. "I fucking know where Karen lives, Liberman. Jones, where does Jones live? Text it to me I'll get your phone back." Frank knew he was being an asshole but he couldn't help it. He hadn't been around friends in months. 

The whole drive back he was mad but he couldn't help but feel bad for David. Frank knew David wouldn't put anyone at risk intentionally but Karen was Franks soft spot. He let her go, so she could live a life without him, without being in danger 24/7. They kissed, once. It felt like life but soon as he had that feeling he knew that it could be taken away from him, he tried his best to explain it to her but she just kept arguing that she put herself in danger and she didn't need Frank to do that for her, he had to leave. He couldn't watch her get taken away because of him just like his family. 

He got to Jessica's and left himself in seeing that no one was around he re-locked the door and started to scope out the place. It was a shit hole but nicer that his shithole so he wasn't bothered. He opened her laptop and started to go through it. He heard her coming up to the door so he closed the laptop and put his gun in his hands and just waited in the dark. Jessica came in a started taking off her clothes. That made Frank so uncomfortable he just left he do what she was doing. He wasn't going to startle her naked. His father taught him better than that. Once he heard her in the shower. He opened the laptop again and going through her notes she had scribbled down.

He saw lots of information on the Lieberman's, Curtis and himself but none on Karen. Why was she at Karen's place if she didn't have any information on her? Frank heard the water turn off and he hoped she would get dressed first. Frank deleted everything from her laptop, and took the notes and put them in his jacket pocket.

Jessica came in clothed, thank god and turned the light on. She didn't look surprised to see him.

"Castle" Is all she said glaring at him.

"In the flesh," he said keeping his gun at his side. 

Jessica went and grabbed a bottle of whiskey and sat down on her torn up couch. " Just the man I was looking for. You know you might have been one of my easiest jobs" Taking a long drink from the bottle.

"Who hired you?" She had offered him a drink but he turned it down.

"Someone with A LOT of money but it wasn't for them it was a mutual friend." She was trying to get a feel for him.

"Got any names?" He raised his brow. 

"Maybe once I know you are safe and not the crazy man that the news makes you out to be" Jessica raised her brow back.

"Well in all honesty ma'am I don't really care. I just need that phone back that you stole today." Frank was lying but he had to know where the phone was.

Jessica rolled her eyes and stood up and pulled the phone out from her back pocket and tossed it on the desk in front of Frank. He stood up and put his gun behind his back and pick the phone up and put it in his pocket.

 

"Thank, M' gonna go." He knew he sounded cocky but how strong could this woman be? She looks like she weighs 100 pounds and she already drank what was left in the bottle.

"I don't think so, that doesn't really work for me. See I need to know you aren't some crazed person before I give you the details." Jessica said in passing standing up.

"Nah, M' good. I got what I came for. I don't need any more information, Jones." Frank smiled and started to walk to the door. That when Jessica grabbed his arm.

He looked at her hand on his arm. "I don't hit girls, I don't want to hurt you." Frank was dead serious now.

" I'd like to see you try." She smiled at him. He went to grab his gun but Jessica threw it to the floor. Then he went to his her and there threw him into the wall, he hit hard. He got to his feet surprised at the force she threw him with.

"Still not gonna hit me?" She smiled because she loved it when people underestimated her.

"I'm gonna try not too" Frank was ready for the fight.

He went to grab her arm to put her in a headlock but that didn't happen her fist connected with his temple and eye. He was out cold the last thing he saw was her standing over him smiling.

When Frank woke he was taped not tired but taped with silver duck tape to a wooden chair.

"Wakey wakey sunshine" Jessica slapping him lightly.

"what the fuck do you want Jones?" Frank didn't have time for this shit. He was just trying to help David but he was fed up already.

"I already told you I need to make sure you are right in the head before we talk about why you are actually here." Jessica sat on her couch across from him. 

"M' here to get David's phone. That's all. I don't give two shits about who hired you to find me. So you can beat my ass and talk whatever shit you want to but I really don't give a fuck and I won't say anything" Frank was trying to move as much as he could.

"Well, I do think you are going to talk and I promise this isn't just about string beans phone. I don't even need it anymore you can have it." Jessica said placing the phone on the coffee table between them.

Jessica's phone rang. She looked at it it was Trish. "Keep your mouth shut or I'll knock your teeth out, do you hear me?" Frank nodded.

"Yeah?" Jessica said answering the phone.

"Yeah I got him, How's-" a moment passed. "Yeah just give her whatever she wants, just make sure she eats something, I don't think she's eaten in the past couple days". Jessica looked in the eyes, glaring at him, Frank just looked around her apartment not giving a shit about her dirty looks. "I gotta make sure he's okay to bring to her, I'm not just gonna bring the Punisher in her life if he's gonna fuck her up more than he already has" Frank looked at her questioning what she just said. " Yeah, I'll let you know how it goes if we are gonna come or not, Yeah okay bye". Jessica hung the phone up.

Frank just looked at her waiting for her to speak, to explain more. " Two day's ago a fancy lawyer came in" Jessica was looking in the distance.

"Red- I mean Murdock?" Frank questioned.

Jessica raised her eyebrow "No dumb ass, didn't you hear? He's dead." Frank tried to hide the shock on his face. Jessica continued to talk "So this fancy lawyer guy comes in here and you know I'm thinkin' he's gonna ask me to find a cheating wife or some stupid shit but to my surprise, he ask's me to find the Punisher. So- here we are" Jessica said with a smile.

"Now asshole tell me what have you been up to the past two to three months and I will gladly tell you what's going on." Jessica couldn't handle this stupid interrogation so she grabbed a new bottle of bourbon. 

"You sure drink a lot," Frank stated. 

"I'd offer you one but you won't tell me what I need to know so I can untie you," Jessica said taking a drink "Start talking".

"Ughh I've been working construction." is all he said.

"Go on? No punishing? Talk more. Come on man give me something to work off of. I don't have time for this shit. I have someone that needs help." Jessica was getting impatient.

"No, I haven't been punishing. The- uh- homeland gave me a new identity so I've been laying low trying to live a normal life. Who needs help?" Frank wasn't lying. Jessica just looked him up and down.

"You know I really want to believe that but I don't" Jessica knew she had to push his buttons to see if she could set him off. "With the dead family and all, I just don't think you would just try to live a 'normal' life." Frank just looked blankly at her. "Help me understand, your wife and children die, you go on a massive killing spree and once you think you've killed enough people, you've felt like you get to have a normal life?" Jessica knew she was pushing. "I guess some people get over things faster then others" Frank didn't move his was was stone cold he didn't say a word.

"Hmm, what about that Karen Page? She's a looker. You and he are always together. You always save her. She wrote quite a few stories about you as well." It sounded like a question, Jessica could see that he was clenching his jaw to hold back. "Don't tell me you've never thought about it? You and her hot and messy" Jessica took another drink. She could see the anger start to rise in him. " I bet half of new york has thought about Miss Karen Pages long legs, he blond hair and the blue eyes! God, she makes me hard and I don't even have a dick."

Jessica could see Frank was about to explode with rage. Jessica went to say something but Frank started to talk.

"Stop, stop talking about her like that." He spat through his teeth. "Don't fucking talk about Karen, if you hurt her I'll kill you and anyone you are working with. I don't give a shit if you got powers. I'll find a way." Frank was almost yelling.

"If you feel like that why would you leave her?" Jessica asked she could see that the question surprised him.

Frank didn't say anything. He was full of rage and he couldn't move an inch to get out. He could try and haul the chair back to break it but she would knock him out first. He didn't know what to do. He couldn't listen to her talk anymore. First, she spoke about his family now about Karen what the hell was she trying to do? Was she trying to make him mad, he thought to himself.

That's if she was trying to make him mad. She wanted a raise from him, but why? There was so much she wasn't telling him and him not telling her anything wasn't going anywhere.

"I left- so she could have a better life." he finally said to Jessica making her eyes meet his.

"You think that was best for her after Matt died?" Jessica shot back angered.

Frank looked down "I didn't know he passed away. She's still better off without me. She can have a normal life. I can't give her- I can't give her what she deserves" Frank looked disappointed.

"You told her that and you left?" Jessica asked.

"Look you can probably tell M' not a big talker and you are trying to get me to open up well I'm tired to a fuckin' chair." He said nodding down "If you want trust you gotta give it first" Frank was being honest.

"Karen's friend Nelson- Froggy or something came in here saying Karen was messed up, He said I had to find you so you could help her." she finally said like it was a load coming off her shoulders.

"Messed up how?" Frank was trying to keep his composer.

"I didn't believe it when he said it so I went to see for myself, Karen and I are well I thought we were friends and when I got there she didn't want to let me in she was stumbling drunk. I know I'm not one to judge but it's not like her. She tried to close the door on me and she could barely stand. She sold a lot of her stuff in her apartment. She got kicked out. I went to check on her yesterday she wasn't there. She was in the back of her car covered in vomit. She's a mess, she looks like shit, you can tell she hasn't been eating. I just need to help her." Jessica was trying to keep herself together but Frank could see she was falling apart.

Now Frank couldn't hide his shock. His mouth fell open. 

After 5 minutes or so Frank broke the silence. "Where is she now?".

"She's with my friend, she's also Karen's friend." Jessica stood up. She went to the kitchen and came back with a knife. She started to cut Frank's arm out of the tape. She gave him the knife to finish up.

"If you are her friend like you say you are how could you let this happen? Fuck for all we know she's following your bad habit's" Frank asked cutting himself free looking at all the liquor bottles.

"Karen is a big girl and makes her own decisions. we had a girls night every couple of weeks and for the past month or so she's just been saying she's busy and working. I didn't think too much of it." Jessica said feeling guilty. 

"I'm just saying, if you had taken the time to really check on her I don't think this would have happened." Frank was standing in front of Jessica now.

"Look asshole, I already feel bad enough and WHO the fuck are you to judge me for all we know you leaving set her off!" Jessica was mad, she wasn't gonna be nice if she was going to be a dick. "If you want to help then help then come with me if you want to pass blame look in the fucking mirror." Jessica headed to the door and turned around to see Frank. "Don't forget dumb ass's phone when you leave".

Frank followed Jessica, "We can take my truck, I don't want to get into a car with you." Jessica just nodded. They walked over to Frank's truck and got in. She gave him the address.

"What if Karen doesn't want to see me?" Frank asked, Jessica, looked at him and could see him clenching the steering wheel.

"She might not, she sure didn't want to see me. Trish said she didn't want to be at her place either but Trish gave her food and told her she could drink there." Jessica could see the anger in Frank's face.

"Why the fuck would you give her more alcohol?" Frank said trying to keep his voice down.

"Well, I didn't want her to run off. We can't just keep her locked away and not give her what she wants, we have to get her to want to stop drinking and I'm hoping you can help with that". Jessica had a point Frank thought. "On that note hold on I gotta make a call" Jessica pulled out her phone and dialed a number.

"Hey, Nelson- okay Foggy- I found your man. I'm taking him to her." A long pause.  
"Yeah it wasn't that hard, he's fine. I'll keep an eye on him- yeah she's with Trish right now." "We found her in the back of her car, no she doesn't have a place to live"

"Yes she does," Frank said.

"Well, big man says she has a place," Jessica says into the phone.

"Uh, he want's to talk to you." Jessica hands the phone to Frank.

"Yeah?" Frank says a little surprised Nelson wanted to talk to him.

"Look I appreciate you helping but I sware-" Foggy said but Frank cut him off. "I get if I hurt her you'll come after me. Nelson, I'm shaking in my boots. Look I'll do my best for Karen and I'll keep her safe. That's all you need to know." Frank handed the phone back to Jessica.

"Okay well I'll let you know how their reunion goes, if it helps at all, I'll talk to you latter Foggy" Jessica hangs up the phone.

They pull up in front of Trishes apartment. Jessica is about to get out and stops to see Frank hasn't moved. " What's up? You scared?" Jessica said meaning for it to come off as a joke.  
Frank turned to look at her "I'm scared shitless Jones." is all Frank could say.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Karen and Frank meet soon! What do you guys think? Let me know :)


End file.
